Thursday, January 8, 2015

Sevens: Canadian Squad for South American tour

An experimental Canadian Sevens team will compete in the upcoming international Sevens competitions in Argentina and Chile this month. With there being a two-month break from the Sevens World Circuit Canadian rugby is to use the Mar del Plata and Viña del Mar tournaments as a way to fill in time and give some fringe players the opportunity to impress for higher honors. The team involved is to be the Canada Maple Leafs rather than the official international Canadian Sevens team. Later in the year Canada is to have the honor of hosting the Pan American Games in Toronto. Canada won gold in Guadalajara, Mexico four years earlier.

Rugby Canada named a twelve man squad which is now in Argentina preparing for the Seven de Mar del Plata which will be played this Saturday and Sunday. It is to be followed by the 2015 Viña del Mar Sevens one week later. The two tournaments exist as qualifying for significant global events - the Pan American Games and the Hong Kong Sevens of which Canada has already secured its place in both.

Opportunities have therefore been given to players to press their case for more game time with the Canadian Sevens team. Some of the missing players are to be John Moonlight, Sean Duke, Justin Douglas and Conor Trainor. Under 20 players have been given a call-up with an eye to the future and it is hoped that this will enable Canada to fast-track some into the seniors.

Awaiting the Canadians in Mar del Plata will be Buenos Aires, Uruguay and an Invitational Sevens side while Argentina and the USA are to compete in a different pool against Mar del Plata and Tucumán. For many it is a chance to impress ahead of the 2015 Pan American Games which will be played in Toronto in July.